Canoe and method of construction thereof

ABSTRACT

A resinous canoe having preformed, adhesively secured inner and outer hull units, foam flotation, a reinforced keel constructed to add to the buoyancy of the craft and a unique method of construction including preforming flotation blocks to insure complete usage of all available space for flotation.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Keith Daune Erickson 3727 South 900 Est, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 [21 1 Appl. No. 859,956 [22] Filed Sept. 22, 1969 [45} Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [54] CANOE AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF 5 Claims, 10 Drawing F15.

52 us. (:1 .A 9/6 [51] lnt.CL B631) 5/24 [50] Field of Search 9/6, 7

{56] References Cited UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 2,376,753 5/1945 Bowenmm, 9/6 2,866,985 1/1959 Blackmore 9/6 3,126,557 3/1964 Stevens 9/6 3,133,294 5/1964 Kunz 3,233,257 2/1966 Biehl 3,291,088 12/1966 Klose 3,371,361 3/1968 Anderson 3,471,876 10/1969 Horiuchi et a1.

3,497,887 3/1970 Baureau,Jr. .1

FORElGN PATENTS 1,003,032 9/1965 GreatBritain Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Carl A. Rutledge Attorney-B. Deon Criddle PATENIED AUG 1 7 I971 SHEET 1 OF 3 I llllllllll 13;! llllllllllllll KEITH DUANE ERICKSON ATTORNEY PATENTEUAUGIYIQY; 3,599,257.

SHEET 2 [IF 3 FIG. 4

5 26 2 '90 :H I L I80 FIG. 7

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KEITH DUANE ERICKSON ATTORNEY PATENTEUAUBI'HSYI 3599257 sum 3 BF 3 FIG. IO INVENTOR KEITH DUANE ERICKSON BY.

ATTORNEY CANOE AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canoes of various types have been known for about as long as man has been attempting to travel over water. These generally have been very streamlined and adapted to carry two or more persons, dependent upon their overall size. Various materials such as wood, aluminum, canvas and fiber glass have been used in their construction and in some cases more than one type material has been used. The previous canoe designs have varied and some have had flared gunnels and squared-off stern portions such that a motor can be placed thereon.

However, so far as I am aware, there has not heretofore been a canoe constructed of two molded fiber glass hull sections bonded together with foam flotation material therein. Neither has there been a canoe constructed by prefonning the flotation blocks and then positioning them between the bonded hull sections to insure maximum flotation of the craft.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an extremely durable canoe having unusually good flotation ability and handling characteristics, including the capability of conventionally mounting a small outboard motor, and to make such a canoe that is light and yet that will support and safely carry a maximum load.

Principal features of the invention include the two-piece bonded hull made of fiber glass, the plastic foam flotation blocks positioned between the hull sections, a hollow, reinforced keel, flotation-foamed seats and carrying yoke and a water trap well to catch and trap whatever water may accumulate in the craft.

Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings disclosing what is presently contemplated as being the best mode of the inven- IIOn.

THE DRAWINGS HO. FIG.

4, a front elevation view;

5, a rear elevation view;

6, a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

7, a similar view taken on the line 7-7;

8, a similar view taken on the line 8-8;

9, an enlarged section taken within the line 9-9 of FIG.

DETAILED DESCRlPTlON Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the canoe of the invention is shown generally at 14. The canoe includes two hull sections, a lower section l6 and an upper section 17, H0. 10.

Lower section 16 is curved upwardly at each side 18 and 19, in sharply at the bow 20 and lower stem 21, and more gradually at the upper stern Zlu where the stern is squared off to serve as a motor mount for the usual small outboard boat motor.

Sides l8 and 19 are respectively flared out at their upper edges 18a and 1911, FIG. 7, to provide clamping surfaces as will be hereinafter more fully described and to serve as water deflectors when the finished canoe is in use.

A shallow Vgroove 22 is formed at the bottom of the hull and running its entire length and the undersurface of the groove then serves as keel for the craft. The canoe is reinforced longitudinally and added flotation is obtained by plac ing a suitable straight stiffener board 23 above the V-groove so that it bridges thereover and then providing a flooring layer 24 of fiber glass over and at both ends of the board such that it is bonded to the hull and completely seals the board and the space therebeneath. The void beneath the board may, if desired, be filled with foam flotation material, but this is not always necessary since the sealed empty space serves as a flotation chamber.

Upper section 17 of the hull is formed separately from section 16 and includesa pair of oppositely positioned L-shaped side flanges 25 and 26 that each have leg 25a and 26a adapted to rest on, mate with, and be adhesively secured to the flared upper edges 18a and 19a, respectively, and a leg 25b and 26b that is adapted to fit closely inside the upper edges of the walls 18 and 19, respectively, and to be adhesively bonded thereto.

Seats 28 and 29 are formed integrally with the side flanges and extend therebetween in the vicinities of the bow and stern of the canoe respectively, and these seats additionally serve as thwarts for the canoes. Similarly, a combination seat and yoke 30, formed integrally with the side flanges 25 and 26 and extending therebetween at a point just forward of the center of gravity of the canoe also serves as a thwart.

The combination seat and yoke is strong enough for a person to sit on and is cut out at 31 so that a person carrying the canoe can position his neck therein and is recessed at 32, around the cutout portion 31 so that it will rest comfortably on a carrier's shoulder without slipping.

Each of the seats 28 and 29 and the combination seat and yoke 30 are molded in an inverted U-shape and the space formed between the legs is thereafter filled with foamed flotation material 33 to further increase the flotation capability of the craft.

Upper section 17 of the hull also includes a front panel 34 that extends inwardly and downwardly from the bow, with the downwardly extending portion 34a then fitting closely between and being adhesively bonded to the lower section 16 at both the sidewalls l8 and l9 and the bottom ofthe hull, at the end of stiffener 24.

A rear panel 35 of the upper section includes a leg 35a that fits over the upper edge ofthe squared-offstern portion of the canoe, a depending leg 3512 that fits tightly against and is bonded to the squared-off stern portion and that can be securely clamped thereto, an inwardly extending leg 35c and a downwardly extending leg 35d. Both legs 35c and 35d are adapted to fit tightly between sidewalls l8 and 19 and are bonded thereto. The legs 35b, 35c and 35d, like the front panel 34 all serve as additional thwarts for the canoe.

The canoe of the invention is made entirely of fiber glass except for the fiber glass covered stiffener 24 and is very easy to care for. it is durable, lightweight and very easy to handle. It has unusually good flotation characteristics and the unique construction insures maximum strength. The use of foamed blocks insures complete use of the spaces available for such flotation material and there is no possibility that such spaces will not be completely filled with flotation material, such as may occur if the flotation material is sprayed in after the hull sections have been bonded together.

While a preferred form of the invention has been disclosed other embodiments are within the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A canoe comprising a lower hull section having flared-out upper side edges,

sidewalls and a bottom forming a hull with a keel therein, and extending from a bow to a stern;

an upper hull section having inverted, generally L-shaped side flanges one leg ofeach ofwhich is adhesively secured to the tops of the flared-out upper side edges and the other legs of which are adhesively secured along the upper edge of the interiors of the sidewalls and that terminate intermediate the top of the sidewalls and the bottom;

seats formed integrally with the legs of the side flanges secured to the interiors of the sidewalls and extending between the sidewalls as thwarts, whereby said seats are positioned above the bottom and are unsupported except at their ends;

front and rear panels having portions extending downwardly below the side flanges and formed integrally with the side flanges adhesively Secured to the lower section spaced distances from the bow and stern respectively; and

flotation material between the front and rear panels and the lower hull section.

2 A canoe as in claim 1, wherein the lower hull section has a squared-off upper stern portion;

and

the rear panel of the upper portion of the hull has a leg adhesively secured to the upper stern portion.

3. A canoe as in claim 1, wherein the keel is a Ushaped groove and a rigid stiffener bridges thereacross for at least the greatest portion of the length of the hull.

4. A canoe as in claim 1, wherein the seats are of inverted U-shape and the spaces between the legs of the seats are filled with flotation material 5. A canoe comprising a lower hull section having flared-out upper side edges, sidewalls and a bottom forming a hull with a keel therein that extends from a bow to a stern;

an upper hull section having inverted, generally L-shaped side flanges, one leg of each of which is adhesively secured to the interiors of the sidewalls, seats formed integrally with said side flanges and extending therebetween as thwarts, one of said seats being formed to have a neck opening and a shoulder recess and to additionally serve as a carrying yoke positioned just to the rear of the center of gravity of the canoe, front and rear panels formed integrally with the side flanges adhesively secured to the lower hull section; and

flotation material between the front and rear panels and the lower hull section. 

1. A canoe comprising a lower hull section having flared-out upper side edges, sidewalls and a bottom formIng a hull with a keel therein, and extending from a bow to a stern; an upper hull section having inverted, generally L-shaped side flanges one leg of each of which is adhesively secured to the tops of the flared-out upper side edges and the other legs of which are adhesively secured along the upper edge of the interiors of the sidewalls and that terminate intermediate the top of the sidewalls and the bottom; seats formed integrally with the legs of the side flanges secured to the interiors of the sidewalls and extending between the sidewalls as thwarts, whereby said seats are positioned above the bottom and are unsupported except at their ends; front and rear panels having portions extending downwardly below the side flanges and formed integrally with the side flanges adhesively secured to the lower section spaced distances from the bow and stern respectively; and flotation material between the front and rear panels and the lower hull section.
 2. A canoe as in claim 1, wherein the lower hull section has a squared-off upper stern portion; and the rear panel of the upper portion of the hull has a leg adhesively secured to the upper stern portion.
 3. A canoe as in claim 1, wherein the keel is a U-shaped groove and a rigid stiffener bridges thereacross for at least the greatest portion of the length of the hull.
 4. A canoe as in claim 1, wherein the seats are of inverted U-shape and the spaces between the legs of the seats are filled with flotation material.
 5. A canoe comprising a lower hull section having flared-out upper side edges, sidewalls and a bottom forming a hull with a keel therein that extends from a bow to a stern; an upper hull section having inverted, generally L-shaped side flanges, one leg of each of which is adhesively secured to the interiors of the sidewalls, seats formed integrally with said side flanges and extending therebetween as thwarts, one of said seats being formed to have a neck opening and a shoulder recess and to additionally serve as a carrying yoke positioned just to the rear of the center of gravity of the canoe, front and rear panels formed integrally with the side flanges adhesively secured to the lower hull section; and flotation material between the front and rear panels and the lower hull section. 